Chapter 1 “It begins - Ha!”

JOKA:

After I decided to become a super hero, I moved to South Coast City to get a fresh start, yo.

It was the best place to get faaaaar away from Gotham, and besides, the East Coast had enough heroes keeping things in check, ya dig?

The West was still a developing frontier for super heroes and villains. It would be fun.

Once I settled down in my new home by the beach, I started doing research. (After a crazy party of course!)

My nights were super exciting - hacking through various databases, sifting through information resources, checking news, social media and so forth!

(I'm being sarcastic fyi.)

Soon, I discovered there were a lot of unsolved burglaries and mysteries going on... particularly centered around the excessively rich upper class and their homes.

And the wealthy didn't like their business being made public, (trust me, I know) so I was sure I'd find some interesting things being kept under wraps.

Funny thing about the thefts, there were no suspects, and all the victims woke up in the morning to find their valuables stolen, unharmed.

These thefts had a period of regular activity during the entire summer, regardless of the best security systems, guards, dogs, and police investigations.

Nothing solid was leading anywhere, only a bunch of dead ends.

For several weeks, I cased out various parts of the city after dark, after spending my days going through endless hours of security video footage.

I also checked out all the seedy dive bars, strip clubs, and any place that might harbor any kind of criminal activity.

Didn't find anything out of the ordinary, but did help get some other local baddies behind bars.

Eventually, from the videos, I began to find dated instances over the past year of a strange, obscure, green entity around various locations.

Speculated by law enforcements to be nothing more than just some pranksters using lighting and other tricks to fool around, I decided to dig deeper.

Locals, on the other hand, believed it to be an urban myth of sorts...

That it was some kind of super hero vigilante, a costumed green night stalker. Rumored to be taking on criminals after dark... and maybe things even worse....

It seemed it would somehow connect to all of these night time robberies going on. I felt it in my gut.

Cross referencing even more video databases through out the city, I discovered the first sign of this entity was seen near a particular cemetery.

Going through the dates, I was able to chart the entity's presence in a timeline that popped up in a routine that would always lead back to the cemetery every month. With the convergence of the green entity's schedule closing in, I prepared to intercept this mysterious green entity.

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CEMETERY, 1:34 AM.

Quiet, and seemingly undisturbed, there was no sign of life at the cemetery, even the plants and flowers were withered.

Joka silently stalked the area, but had no luck finding anything suspicious. Everything looked to be in the clear.

He leaned up against the caretaker's building, sighed, and started up at the deep moonlit sky.

Nearby, from behind a large tombstone, a humanoid figure crept out of the looming shadows...

Joka was oblivious to the approaching shadowy figure, and instead was now looking something up on his cell phone...

Closer and closer... the figure lurched forward...

Joka looked up and raised an eyebrow. From behind him, the figure shown in the warm tungsten light...

Even under the orange hue, it was deathly pale... an evil ghoulish spirit!

With an eerily, ghastly energy at its fingertips, the ghoul slowly reached out to grab the Joka!

Joka's cell phone suddenly rang- he answered it, stepping forward, just enough to move out of the ghoul's reach!

Joka: HelloOoooOoo!

Phone: (A woman's sexy voice) Hey baby.... How are you doing this late night?

Joka: Uhh... Just tryna stay out of... grave danger.... Who is this?

The ghoul lurched towards the Joka....

Woman on the phone: Well.. maybe you could use some company.... And I'm feeling a bit ho-

Joka: You must have the wrong number... Wait- how the heck did you even get my number?!

Joka hung up the phone, turned around, and came face to face with the ghoul!

Joka: Aye shittttt!

Ghoul: Gaaahhh!

The ghoul lunged at Joka, its mouth wide open in a desperate feeding frenzy!

Joka collapsed on the ground, and wrestled the ghoul.

It quickly overpowered Joka, its salivating mouth inching closer and closer to Joka's face!

Joka: Hey! Come on! I don't taste as good as I look!

After squirming his right hand behind his back, Joka pulled out a pistol; colt 1911.

Pushing it right at the ghoul's face, he fired off several shots!

They all went right through the ghoul!

Joka: Whaaat?! Are you kidding me?!

Unable to push the ghoul off, Joka turned away, and closed his eyes.

Joka: Not like this.... I'd rather be dessert than a midnight snack....

A flash of green light exploded, and the ghoul flew off Joka!

A figure, in an emerald green cloak quickly glided to the Joka, and reached out his hand, helping Joka stand.

Joka looked around, the ghoul was completely vaporized.

Joka: Thanks man. Who da heck are ya?

Man: Emerson.

Emerson had a green metal mask around his eyes, and even greener eyes.

Joka patted dirt off his suit.

Joka: Impressive.

Emerson: Don't try your gun on me. It won't work. And then I'll have to hurt you.

Joka: Relax man, do I look like the kind of guy who'd shoot ya?

Emerson: Why are you here?

Joka: Looking for you.

Emerson: Why? And who are you?

Joka: Tommy Wayne aka the Joka. A super hero. I'm trying to get whatever leads I can on a criminal, robbing the rich.

Emerson: I'm not a thief. And I know nothing about such things.

Joka: Well maybe you can do me a favor and help keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I know you frequent those rich neighborhoods.

Emerson: What do you mean?

Joka: I watched security videos and figured out your pattern, that's why I'm here.

Emerson: I patrol every night, making sure to eliminate evil scum like that ghoul that attacked you.

Joka: Ghoul? Like, a spirit, a monster?

Emerson: Exactly. I'm surprised you were able to see it. Normal people would have no recollection of it.

Joka: Hey! Are you calling me abnormal, different, and weird?! .....Thanks!

Emerson: I don't have time to joke around.

Joka: Hold up dude, I mean it. Let's help each other out.

Emerson: No thanks, I work alone.

Joka: You're starting to sound like my stepdad.... Anyways. I've been thinking about bringing together a team of super heroes. Ever heard of the Justice League?

Emerson: Mildly. You mean Superman, Batman, Robin, and those guys?

Joka: Yeah. It'd be awesome. We'd do a whole lot of good. And you never know when some crazy villain might pop up.

Emerson: I'll think about it.

Emerson snapped his fingers. A business card appeared in Joka's hand. It was green and had Emerson's name and phone number on it.

Emerson: Let me know if you encounter any more monsters or spirits. And be careful.

Emerson vanished in a swirl of green light.

Joka: Wait! Dang, you didn't leave an email or any social media links.... Who does that??

Joka tucked the card inside his blazer pocket, and walked off.